OVID AMONG THE SCYTHIANS Meaning and
Definition
-
Ovid among the Scythians refers to a concept or a phrase that portrays the setting in which the renowned Roman poet Ovid, born Publius Ovidius Naso, found himself during his exile from Rome. The name Ovid is associated with the author, while the term Scythians refers to the Scythian people - a nomadic group that resided in regions of what is now modern-day Ukraine and southern Russia.
The phrase "Ovid among the Scythians" conveys the image of Ovid's exile and his displacement from his familiar surroundings and culture. Following his banishment from Rome by the Emperor Augustus, Ovid was exiled to Tomis, an ancient city on the western coast of the Black Sea (present-day Constanta, Romania). This geographical location was inhabited by the Scythians, a culture unfamiliar to Ovid and significantly different from his Roman roots.
By using this phrase, one implies Ovid's intellectual isolation and cultural dissonance while being surrounded by the Scythians in Tomis. It represents his struggle to adapt to his new environment and the challenges that he faced as a foreigner among an unfamiliar people. This concept encompasses the sense of being an outsider and the feeling of being removed from one’s comfort zone.
Overall, "Ovid among the Scythians" symbolizes Ovid's exile, his emotional state, and the confrontation of the clash between Roman civilization and the Scythian way of life.
